Hi there,

I'm writing this from Newark Airport, waiting for my flight home after spending the last week in New York with my sister and her family.

There's no YouTube video this week - I've been firmly off-duty - but I had two conversations over the past few days that stuck with me, and I wanted to share them with you before I lose them in the noise of getting back to normal life.

Both conversations were about the same thing, from completely opposite ends of the work experience spectrum. And they both highlighted something I think is absolutely fundamental to leadership success: being a proactive problem solver.

Let me tell you what happened.

The Graduate

The first conversation was with my niece. She's eight weeks into her first proper job with an investment bank. Fresh out of university. Brand new to the working world.

I asked her how it was going, fully expecting the usual "yeah, fine, bit overwhelming" response.

Instead, she told me she'd already had some brilliant feedback. And when I dug into why, two things stood out:

First, she'd reached out to the HR director for her area. Just sent a message saying, "Hi, I'm new here - would you like to meet?" The HR director invited her for coffee. My niece got amazing feedback from the conversation.

Second - and this is the one that really got me - she'd noticed her own induction process was a bit all over the place. The system wasn't clear. She didn't know what she was supposed to do or when. So rather than just muddle through and complain about it later, she created a standard operating procedure document for whoever came after her.

She didn't ask permission. She didn't wait to be told. She just did it. Then casually mentioned to her manager, "Oh, by the way, I made this doc, I thought it might be useful for the next person."

Her manager was blown away.

The CFO

Fast forward a couple of days. I'm chatting with my brother-in-law, who's the CFO of a large insurance company. He's dealing with all the usual stresses that come with that level of seniority.

I asked him what he's looking for in the people who work for him - the senior leaders on his team.

His answer? Almost identical to what my niece had done instinctively.

"I just want them to be more proactive," he said. "I don't want to be the one asking, 'Have you spoken to your cross-functional colleague yet? Have you thought about the different scenarios this could play out?' When the answer comes back 'no,' it's exhausting."

He was clear: these people work hard. They're talented. But they're “doing not leading” and they were definitely not proactive problem solvers. And that's what makes the difference.

So what does this mean for you?

Whether you're eight weeks in or eight years plus in, this mindset matters. It's the thing that stops you (and your team) getting stuck in reactive mode. It's what moves you from constantly firefighting to actually leading.

Two questions to ask yourself:

1. Am I holding back when I could step forward? Are there things you already know need doing, problems you can see coming, conversations you know should happen - but you're waiting for someone else to notice or ask?
2. Am I creating proactive problem solvers in my team? Are you openly telling people, "I want you to think ahead, spot the gaps, take initiative"? Because if you're not saying it out loud, they might not know it's what you want.

The thing is, being proactive isn't about working harder or doing more. It's about thinking ahead. Seeing around corners. Creating the space to reflect, plan, and act before the crisis hits.

And if you're finding you don't have that space right now, if you're too buried in the day-to-day to think strategically about your stakeholders, your priorities, or how you're showing up as a leader, that might be a sign you need better systems. (That's exactly what Manager OS is designed to help with, by the way - reclaiming your time so you can actually lead, not just react.)

But wherever you're starting from, the shift begins with a choice: am I going to wait, or am I going to step forward?

I'd love to know, where do you see this playing out in your own leadership right now? Hit reply and let me know.

Right, they're calling my flight. Time to head home.

Speak soon, Helen

P.S. Every day (when I'm not on holiday 😎) I help managers become proactive problem solvers instead of just reacting to what's in front of them. If you're ready to make real changes, I have two 1-on-1 coaching spots available. Book a call and let's talk.

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